Abstract
The volcanic eruption that occurred in 2000 at Mt. Oyama in Miyake Island, which is one of the Izu Islands of Tokyo, was a historically rare summit-type eruption, where a large volume of volcanic gases continued to be released over a long period of more than 10 years.
All residents of the island were evacuated in September. The Miyake Island Central Clinic, which is a local medical institution, was also temporarily closed. In October, a Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters was established on the nearby Kozushima Island, and disaster recovery was carried out mainly by commuter boats.
From the end of June in the following year, a medical team was regularly dispatched to support medical care on the island until the medical treatment system at the central clinic was restored in February 2005, and the islanders returned to the island.
The Kozushima Island Clinic provided medical care to disaster recovery personnel and continued collaborative medical activities, such as responding to patient information from Miyake Island.
Even after the residents of the island returned to the island, volcanic gases continued to be emitted. In addition to the harsh living conditions, the community with a high proportion of elderly people continues to experience a significant level of physical and mental stress.
Continuous assistance from all directions, not just medical welfare, will be necessary to maintain the health of the islanders.
